Wraparound closure

Abstract

A wraparound closure with closure means which can be easily re-opened, such as a zipper or Velcro-type closure, provides environmental protection for splices or branch-offs in elongate substrates, such as communications or other cables, which closure has the advantage that it can be opened and re-closed easily and quickly. The end portions of the closure are sealed around the cable substrate with a sealing material having a cone penetration value of 100 to 350 (10 -1 mm) and an ultimate elongation of at least 200%. The wraparound may include a retaining means, such as a resilient plastic ring, which may be positioned to hold the wraparound closure away from the cable substrate when the closure is opened and work is being performed on the cable and may be positioned around the cable to provide support for the wraparound closure when it is in the closed position. The sealing material is attached to the inside of the end portions of the wraparound with a neoprene rubber adhesive to assure that the sealing material adheres to the wraparound and releases from the cable when the wraparound is removed from the cable substrate. The sealing material is also pre-formed into an appropriate shape for sealing between cables in a branch-off configuration.

I claim: 
     
       1. An article which comprises: a surface with a material thereon which material has a cone penetration value of 100 to 350 (10 -1  mm) and an ultimate elongation of at least 200% wherein the material is bonded to the surface by a neoprene rubber adhesive.   
     
     
       2. An article of claim 1 wherein the material is impregnated in a porous matrix. 
     
     
       3. An article of claim 2 wherein the porous matrix is an open-cell foam. 
     
     
       4. An article of claim 3 wherein the contact neoprene rubber adhesive is a contact cement in aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon solents 
     
     
       5. A method of attaching material having a cone penetration value of 100 to 350 (10 -1  mm) and an ultimate elongation of at least 200% to a surface by applying a neoprene rubber adhesive to the surface or the material and placing the material on the surface. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 5 wherein the neoprene rubber adhesive is a contact cement in aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon solvents.